In certain situations, such as when repainting portions of a wall, an individual may wish to identify an existing unknown color, such as an existing paint color so that matching paint can be obtained. Systems that enable this process are called color matching systems.
Conventionally, a color matching system includes a standardized set of colors provided by a manufacturer that an individual visually compares to the unknown color in order to seek a match. However, such a system is often deficient because, even where a very large standardized set of colors is provided that may itself be unwieldy, an individual may not be able to determine a color within a standardized set that corresponds to the unknown color, or the match may be inexact, particularly if the paint has aged.
The use of a colorimeter to determine an unknown color is also known. However, known colorimeters are imprecise and economically impractical for an individual to purchase for personal use, such as for implementing a color scan to determine the paint color of a wall.
Cameras and imaging alone cannot be used to determine an unknown color. This is because gain varies from camera to camera, and lighting associated with capturing a given image is subject to infinite variation. In some conventional systems, an individual may utilize balance cards to calibrate the gain, the contrast, and the brightness of an imaging system. However, when utilizing balance cards to calibrate an imaging system for determining an image color, at least three such cards must be imaged in about the same setting and at about the same angle. This is a difficult task requiring precise diligence. In addition, even using three cards, accuracy is limited due to the fact that camera gain/response curves are not perfectly linear, generally resulting in unsatisfactory color matching.
Accordingly, needs exist for improved and efficient methods and systems for measuring colors.